Campanula plant named ‘L.10.018’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘L.10.018’, characterized by its compact upright plant habit; dense and bushy plant form; vigorous growth habit; and large upright, white flowers.

Latin name of the genus and species of the claimed plant: Campanula portenschlagiana Schult.

Variety denomination: ‘L.10.018’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant, botanically known as Campanula portenschlagiana Schult., commonly known as Dalmatian Bellflower and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘L.10.018’.

The new Campanula cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gert Jensen, in Marslev, Denmark.

The new Campanula originated from a selfing cross made in 2010 by the Inventor between plants of the Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. variety ‘A.09.09’ (breeder reference, unpatented). The Inventor selected the new Campanula cultivar from the progeny of the above crossing in 2011 on the basis of its very compact, upright growth, with low need for retardation and fungicides and distinctive flowering habit.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings in Marslev, Denmark has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘L.10.018’, which in combination distinguish this Campanula as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Smaller, white, single bell flowers with reflexing lobes;     -   2. High numbers of flowers per plant;     -   3. Dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to more, shorter         upright stems;     -   4. Compact plant habit due to shorter stems, and peduncles;     -   5. Less need for growth retardant.

Plants of the cultivar ‘L 10.018’ can be compared to plants of the Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. cultivar ‘White Get Mee’ (breeder reference, unpatented). However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Marslev, Denmark, plants of the cultivar L.10.018 and the cultivar ‘White Get Mee’ differ in the following characteristics, it must however be mentioned that the new cultivar plant examined has not been treated with growth retardant.

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula have white, single bell, upright         flowers     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula have more compact upright growth         than plants of the cultivar ‘White Get Mee’.     -   3. Plants of the new Campanula do not need growth retardant or         cooling treatment.     -   4. Plants of the new Campanula have a one to two week shorter         production period than the plants of the cultivar ‘White Get         Mee’.     -   5. Plants of the new Campanula have smaller leaves with shorter         petioles and thus less conspicuous foliage when flowering.     -   6. Plants of the new Campanula have smaller flowers and shorter         peduncles than the plants of the cultivar ‘White Get Mee’.     -   7. Plants of the new Campanula appears to be less susceptible to         greymold (Botryis cinerea).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Campanula ‘L.10.018’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color value cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘L.10.018’.

FIG. 1 shows a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘L.10.018’ compared to a typical flowering plant ‘White Get Mee’ grown in 10 cm pots.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of typical single flowers of ‘L.10.018’ along with typical single flowers of ‘White Get Mee’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Campanula ‘L.10.018’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition, where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions with an average day temperature of 18-20° C., an average night temperature of 16° C., ambient (80 watt) light level, and 7 weeks of long day treatments (18 hrs). Plants used for this description were grown for about 14 weeks after cutting.

-   Botanical classification: Campanula portenschlagiana Schult cultivar     ‘L.10.018’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult, ‘A.09.09’.         -   Male parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult, ‘A.09.09’. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings, from stock             plants maintained at short days.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21 C in             tunnels in a greenhouse.         -   Root description.—Fine, well branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Perennial plant with an upright globular plant habit.             Campanulate flowers in racemes. Freely branching with             lateral branches forming at every node; dense and bushy.             Freely branching, somewhat brittle stems.         -   Crop time.—After rooting, about 14 weeks in long days are             required to produce finished flowering plants in 11 cm pots.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of plant plane).—About 8 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—12 cm.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous growth rate. -   Foliage description: Leaves alternate, single, dentate, palmate     (actinodromus), not very conspicuous venation.     -   -   Basal leaves.—Length: 15-17 mm. Width: About 23 mm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: acuminate. Base: Cordate. Margin: broadly             crenate. Texture: smooth, glabrous, dull. Color: Young             foliage, upper and lower surfaces respectively: RHS 137B,             green and RHS N138C. Mature foliage, upper and lower             surfaces respectively: RHS 137A, and N138C, green. Venation,             RHS 138C.         -   Petioles.—Length on basal leaves: 2.5 cm. Length on apical             leaves 5-15 mm. Diameter: 0.5 mm. Color: RHS 138C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single flowers in racemes;             White, single campanulate flowers with small star shaped             calyx.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous throughout the spring             and summer in Denmark. Season can be extended by long day             treatments. 7 weeks (18 hour) are needed for flower             induction under greenhouse conditions.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity (9 to 14 days) of             individual flowers is highly dependent on temperature and             light conditions. Flowers persistent.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 4 cm.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—9-11.         -   Flower buds.—Color: RHS 155C, white. Texture: with ridges.             Shape: oblong. Length: up to 6 mm long and Width: 5 mm             before anthesis.         -   Flowers.—Attitude: Upright. Length (height): About 12 mm.             Diameter: About 20 mm. Shape: Elliptic, rounded, reflexing.         -   Petal lobes.—Length: 8 mm. Width: up to 5 mm.         -   Corolla tube.—Depth: 11 mm. Width (at top): 10 mm. Color:             Upper and lower surfaces, RHS 155C and D, white,             respectively. Withering to RHS 156A, grey white. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Length.—About 13 mm.         -   Diameter.—About 0.5 mm.         -   Color.—RHS 144C yellow-green. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen.—Number: 5, fused until pollen has been shed.         -   Anther.—Shape: Fused, after shedding curling. Size: 1 mm.         -   Pollen.—Amount: Average. Color: RHS 155D.         -   Pistil.—Number 1. Length: 12 mm.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Tripartite. Color: RHS 155D.         -   Style.—Length: 11 mm. Color: RHS 155D.         -   Ovary.—Color: RHS 150D. -   Seeds: None observed. -   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Campanula have not been tested     for tolerance to draught, rain and wind, low temperature. -   Disease resistance: Plants of the new claimed variety have shown     good resistance to grey mold (Botrytis cinerea). 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant named ‘L.10.018’, as illustrated and described herein. 